Airport.

[Nellie]

Just now, NoTailT said:

I'll be intrigued to know the results of the airport consultation process with airlines.

They really need to push for a nightstop if they can.

Agreed.

Whilst it would require some adjustment to the overall Gatwick schedule it would solve most of the issues on the route, and it would probably improve the yield as they'd have an early AM departure from here, which would be much easier to sell than the current midnight express.

[swoopy2110]

24 minutes ago, NoTailT said:

I'll be intrigued to know the results of the airport consultation process with airlines.

They really need to push for a nightstop if they can.

Absolutely. Getting a night stop in would be great. But you just know who will have to pay put put the crew up overnight.

[IOM]

12 minutes ago, swoopy2110 said:

Absolutely. Getting a night stop in would be great. But you just know who will have to pay put put the crew up overnight.

An overnight stop would also really require a major change to the current schedule otherwise there would be only a few hours difference between the two island departures ( say 7am and 10am ) and nothing then for the rest of the day or evening . 

[Andy Onchan]

[madmanxpilot]

2 hours ago, Nellie said:

Interesting that the IOM Airport have included the phrase "Please note that currently these are the only flights cancelled by Gatwick's flight cancellation protocol." in their notification to IOM passengers. 

https://www.facebook.com/IsleOfManAirport

Perhaps the penny is finally starting to drop with the management down there, that IOM always gets the shitty end of the stick and that they need to grow some balls and start pushing back?

 

I would like to think you are right, but suspect what they are trying to say is that no further LGW-IOM-LGW flights are planned for the chop this week as part of LGW’s movement cap.

 

Edited September 27, 2023 by madmanxpilot

[John Wright]

Standard type of wording if you’re making that sort of announcement, when you aren’t in charge of the cancellations.

Its arse covering.

[John Wright]

2 hours ago, Nellie said:

Interesting that the IOM Airport have included the phrase "Please note that currently these are the only flights cancelled by Gatwick's flight cancellation protocol." in their notification to IOM passengers. 

https://www.facebook.com/IsleOfManAirport

Perhaps the penny is finally starting to drop with the management down there, that IOM always gets the shitty end of the stick and that they need to grow some balls and start pushing back?

 

 

25 minutes ago, madmanxpilot said:

I would like to think you are right, but suspect what they are trying to say is that no further LGW-IOM-LGW flights are planned for the chop this week as part of LGW’s movement cap.

 

Standard type of wording if you’re making that sort of announcement, when you aren’t in charge of the cancellations.

Its arse covering.

[Banker]

3 hours ago, swoopy2110 said:

Absolutely. Getting a night stop in would be great. But you just know who will have to pay put put the crew up overnight.

Well if that’s the case I suppose politicians will have to decide if it’s worth it! What’s your views 

[Nellie]

44 minutes ago, Banker said:

Well if that’s the case I suppose politicians will have to decide if it’s worth it! What’s your views 

It obviously depends how much it would cost whether the Govt should pay outright, or just support while they transition to a new schedule, or not pay anything.

As I understand, easyJet crews don't get extra pay for night-stopping away from their base, but they do get subsistence allowance and there would be accommodation, the cost of which would stay on the Island. So good business for a local hotel; two crews, twelve people, every night. Perhaps £1200 would cover it. Then you have parking for the aircraft, and maybe some line engineering support?

On the other side of the coin, seats on a flight at 7.00 should be more in demand, than the late night departure which no one really wants to use, so they only need a few extra pax, or they could simply change the algorithm to add £5 to each seat sold. 

Lots of guess work in the above, but they have made it work at Inverness, Aberdeen, Jersey and Belfast City. With effort and goodwill on both sides, the airport management and easyJet should be able to work up a business case to make this work.

As @IOM says, the overall schedule would have to change. If they retain two flights a day in each direction, then you'd probably have:-

IOM - LGW   early morning, (say 07.00) and late afternoon (say 16.00)

LGW - IOM   early afternoon (say 14.00) and evening (say 19.00) - this is similar to what we have on Sat and Sun. 

Although everything involves some trade off and compromise, this looks a lot better than we have ATM.

Edited September 27, 2023 by Nellie

[mad_manx]

19 hours ago, John Wright said:

Went to London last week, via Gatwick. £115 return out Tuesday am back Friday pm. Included seat, 10kg cabin bag and 15kg hold bag. Plus they carried my chair for free.

OK, I’m an EZY plus member, £185 a year, get free seat selection and free large cabin bags. They’d have been another £50. Only have to do 4 round trips every year to be in pocket.

I’m off to Barcelona on Thursday. Those 4 flights I’ve saved £95.

I was booked on the 12.55 to Barcelona, but that’s cancelled due to NATS ATC staffing issues. But I’ve got onto the 16.30.

I think its £215 now...Agree with you ...Pays for itself if you do a few trips.. 

[John Wright]

1 hour ago, Nellie said:

It obviously depends how much it would cost whether the Govt should pay outright, or just support while they transition to a new schedule, or not pay anything.

As I understand, easyJet crews don't get extra pay for night-stopping away from their base, but they do get subsistence allowance and there would be accommodation, the cost of which would stay on the Island. So good business for a local hotel; two crews, twelve people, every night. Perhaps £1200 would cover it. Then you have parking for the aircraft, and maybe some line engineering support?

On the other side of the coin, seats on a flight at 7.00 should be more in demand, than the late night departure which no one really wants to use, so they only need a few extra pax, or they could simply change the algorithm to add £5 to each seat sold. 

Lots of guess work in the above, but they have made it work at Inverness, Aberdeen, Jersey and Belfast City. With effort and goodwill on both sides, the airport management and easyJet should be able to work up a business case to make this work.

As @IOM says, the overall schedule would have to change. If they retain two flights a day in each direction, then you'd probably have:-

IOM - LGW   early morning, (say 07.00) and late afternoon (say 16.00)

LGW - IOM   early afternoon (say 14.00) and evening (say 19.00) - this is similar to what we have on Sat and Sun. 

Although everything involves some trade off and compromise, this looks a lot better than we have ATM.

However, EZY needs to sweat its assets. Having a plane non flying between 20.30 and 07.00 won’t fit their model.

 

[Nellie]

2 minutes ago, John Wright said:

However, EZY needs to sweat its assets. Having a plane non flying between 20.30 and 07.00 won’t fit their model.

 

They do it in Jersey, Aberdeen, Inverness and Belfast City every night, give or take an hour. Seems to work OK there.

 

[Stu Peters]

6 hours ago, NoTailT said:

I'll be intrigued to know the results of the airport consultation process with airlines.

They really need to push for a nightstop if they can.

Just out of interest, if it was to cost we taxpayers hundreds of thousands to achieve this, would the general public be in favour?

[NoTailT]

13 minutes ago, Stu Peters said:

Just out of interest, if it was to cost we taxpayers hundreds of thousands to achieve this, would the general public be in favour?

I think if it led to robust reliability, better standards for passengers and there was a business case: yes. But it should not be a figure to the airline. It should come by provision of crew HOTAC and ground transportation i.e. directly in to our economy.

I mean, they made a business case to staff millions subsidising Heathrow and City - but I think there is a strong case argument for an overnight Gatwick. Just look how important this has become to some Scottish airports and Jersey.

Gatwick is also becoming increasingly constrained for overnight parking, so I don’t think the sweetener needs to be as great as some would suggest.

Edited September 27, 2023 by NoTailT

[John Wright]

No. Concentrate on the real issues which are long term.

Get ATC up to strength and a succession plan.

Set of runway lights out to sea

increase the CAT level and insist airlines flying here can use.

Introduce a GPS landing system alongside.

Forget the upgrade of the existing departure  lounges ( except downstairs where the seat squabs need to be fitted properly - they were put together wrongly when originally installed - they slope forward rather being flat or sloping slightly backwards )